Loom picker



Jam. 18, 1966 c. E. MURRAY 3,229,726

LOOM PICKER Filed June 25, 1965 INVENTOR. COYT E. MURRAY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,229,726 LOOM PICKER Coyt E. Murray, 1805 Echo Lane, Gastonia, N.C. Filed June 25, 1963, Ser. No. 290,386 Claims. (Cl. 139-159) This invention relates to improvements in a loom picker, and more particularly to an improved loom picker comprising a body of resilient elastomeric material and a floating insert plug mounted in a cavity provided in the forward end portion of the body in non-adhered relation thereto, wherein the insert plug is of relatively rigid, abrasive-resistant material and is arranged to receive the repeated impacts from the point of a shuttle striking the loom picker.

A loom picker, due to the unique nature of the forces brought to bear upon it during its use, must be constructed to withstand repeated impacts from the point of the shuttle without bur-sting or splitting, while exhibiting exceptional wear-resistance to promote the long life thereof. Coupled with these desirable qualities, the loom picker should also exhibit an excellent shock-absonbing characteristic for absorbing suflicient energy from the shuttle upon impact of the shuttle point thereagainst to permit boxing of the shuttle to occur in a normal manner.

Previous efforts to construct a loom picker which best blends these contrasting qualities in order that the loom picker might perform satisfactorily over a long life of service have given rise to many different proposals of loom pickers of diverse types and materials. While the performance to be expected from such loom pickers has been regarded as reasonably satisfactory, various difficulties have been experienced.

Thus, one typical form of loom picker comprises essentially a two-piece construction in which the body to be mounted on the picker stick is made from a material somewhat less resilient and elastic than an insert incorporated therein for receiving the impact of the shuttle point. In this form of loom picker, although the body thereof may itself possess a relatively significant resilient and elastomeric nature, the impact-receiving insert in the body is constructed of a material of even greater resiliency and elasticity than the material of the body. This form of loom picker is prone to burst or split under the repeated impacts of a shuttle tip against the insert thereof.

The construction of a loom picker in which an impactreceiving insert of relatively rigid material is provided in a body of resilient and elastic material to serve as a reinforcement therefor has been generally regarded as being unsuitable because of anticipated shortcomings as so the shock-absorbing quality of such a loom picker. The preveailing belief that the construction of a reinforcing insert for a loom picker from a material having an extreme, substantially unyielding hardness would result in insufficient energy being absorbed by the 100m picker from the shuttle upon impact of the shuttle point thereagainst to cause difficulties in the boxing of the shuttle has persisted.

It has been proposed to form an insert for a loom picker from a synthetic plastic material, such as nylon, where the body of the loom picker comprises layers of 3,229,726 Patented Jan. 18, 1966 tape impregnated with rubber and wrapped about the msert, and the body and the insert are subjected to heat and pressure to form a solid interlocked mass. In this latter proposal, the body of the loo-m picker may exhibit greater resiliency and elasticity than the insert, but the insert itself possesses a significant degree of resiliency and elasticity in an effort to achieve satisfactory shock-absorption by the loom picker. However, the stresses and strains placed upon the solid interlocked mass of this type of loom picker by repeated impacts of the shuttle point thereagainst are likely to lead the bursting or splitting of the loom picker, and the insert has not displayed impact and wear resistance to a degree considered to be entirely satisfactory.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved loom picker which includes a body formed of resilient elastomeric material and an insert plug therefor having a forward surface exposed to the impact of the shuttle point and being of a relatively rigid, wearresistant material of high impact strength so as to resist bursting and splitting, wherein the insert plug is floatingly mounted in a cavity provided in the forward end portion of the body so as to move rearwardly in the body under the impact of the shutle point to allow the loom picker to absorb sufficient energy from the shuttle to permit normal boxing of the shuttle.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved loom picker comprising a body of a resilient elastomeric material and an impact-receiving insert plug of relatively rigid, Wear-resistant material Within the body in which the forward surface of the body is provided with a frusto-conical recess partially exposing the insert plug and the insert plug is provided with a conical recess opening into the frusto-conical recess of the body for receiving the shuttle point, with the insert plug being in non-adhered relationship to the body for moving rearwardly with repect thereto upon impact of the shuttle point thereagainst to enhance the shock-absorptive characteristic of the loom picker, even though the insert plug is of relatively rigid material. In this way, boxing of the shuttle is not impaired by the relative rigidity of the impact-receiving insert plug of the loom picker.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved loo-m picker having a resilient elastomeric body and a relatively rigid insert plug therefor for receiving the impact from a shuttle point, wherein the relatively rigid insert plug is mounted in a cavity in the forward end portion of the body in non-adhered relation thereto so as to provide a minute air space therebetween which affords a heat-insulative layer tending to harmlessly dissipate from the loom picker any frictional heat which may be developed in the insert plug by repeated impacts of the shuttle point against the insert plug without conducting any appreciable frictional heat from the insert plug to the body of the loom picker to prevent any adverse effect on the resilient elastomeric material of the body of the loom picker which might be caused by increased heat.

These and other objects of my invention are preferably accomplished by constructing the body of the loom picker of a polyurethane elastomer and the impact-receiving insert plug therefor of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, wherein the molecular weight of the polyethylene is of the order of 1,000,000 and above. A loom picker so constructed is effective for its intended use over a long life of service and successfully combines the characteristics of high impact strength and resistance to abrasion, with the desirable but contrasting characteristics of ample shock-absorption to a degree not achieved in loom pickers prior to my invention, insofar as I am aware.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a loom picker constructed in accordance with the present-invention, and showing in phantom lines a portion of a picker stick on which the loom picker is adapted to be mounted;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken along the line 2--2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3--3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse verticalsectional view taken along the line 44 in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view, similar to FIGURE 2 and showing the forwardly disposed portion of the loom picker.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the loom picker in accordance with the present invention comprises a body or shell constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, preferably a polyurethane elastomer. The body 10 has a tapered passageway 11 extending through the rear portion thereof which defines with the body 10, a loop portion 12 adapted to receive a picker stick insertable through the passageway 11.

The body 10 is provided with a frusto-conical recess 13 opening onto the forward surface of the body '10 and leading into an internal cavity 10a formed in the forward portion of the body 10. An impact-receiving insert plug 14 is seated within the cavity 10a and substantially fills the cavity. The plug 14 is made of material which is relatively rigid, abrasive-resistant, and which exhibits a high resistance to compression setting. In a preferred form of the invention, the plug 14 comprises ultra high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of the order of 1,000,000 and above, The plug 14 has a plurality of transversely extending serrations 15 on its rearwardly disposed surface and an upper, forwardly disposed beveled corner 16. The internal cavity 10a in the body 10 in which the plug 14 is received has a shape complementary to that of the plug 14 so as to include a back wall 21 having transversely extending grooves for respectively receiving individual serrations 15 on the plug 14 and an inclined wall complementing the beveled corner 16 on the plug 14.

It will be observed in FIGURE 5 that the plug 14 is loosely received within the cavity 10a formed in the forward portion of the body 10 in non-bonded or nonadhered relation to the body 10 so as to be floatingly mounted therewithin, there being an air space extending about the periphery of the plug 14. The air space forms an insulation barrier between the plug 14 and the body 10 to at least partially restrain heat transfer from the plug 14 to the body 10, as the temperature of the plug 14 tends to be increased by frictional heat from repeated impacts of the shuttle point against the plug 14 whose forward surface is partially exposed through the frusto-conical recess 13 in the body 10.

The loom picker is further provided with upper and lower pairs of bores or holes 17, 18, respectively. The upper pair of holes 17 extend from the upper surface of the body 10 vertically through the forward portion of the body 10 and terminate within the plug 14 at locations rearwardly of the beveled corner 16 thereof. The lower pair of holes 18 are substantially vertically alined with the upper pair of holes 17, and extend vertically from the lower surface of the body 10 to terminate adjacent the lower surface of the plug 14. Frictional heat imparted to the plug 14 by the repeated impacts of the shuttle point thereagainst is dissipated from the plug 14 through the upper and lower pair of holes 17, 18, respectively, without any appreciable heat being transferred to the body 10 of the loom picker.

Preferably, the forward surface of the plug 14 has a conical recess 20 formed therein which communicates with the frusto-conical recess 13 in the body 10 so as to define a composite recess of conical configuration for receiving the shuttle point. Primarily, the brunt of the impact from the shuttle point is taken by the plug 14, as the shuttle point slams into the conical recess 20 thereof with the frusto-conical recess 13 in the body 10 serving to guide the shuttle point toward the conical recess 20 in the plug 14 in substantially centered relation thereto. Any tendency of the floating plug 14 to undergo vertical shifting within the body 10 is restrained by the plurality of transverse serrations 15 on the rear surface thereof which coact with the complementary grooves formed in the back wall 21 of the cavity provided in the body 10. The serrations 15 also substantially increase the area of contact of the plug 14 with the body 10 when the plug 14 is under impact from the shuttle point. This increased area of contact between the plug 14 and the body 10 tends to restrict compression setting of the material of "the body 10, even after the loom picker has undergone prolonged use. The increased area of contact further tends to minimize the formation of any hot spots on the body 10 from the frictional heat built up in the plug 14 under the repeated impacts from the shuttle point.

It will be understood that the plug 14 is driven rearwardly to a limited degree with respect to the body 10 under the impact of the shuttle point. In this connection, a substantially thick portion of the resilient elastomeric material of the body 10 is disposed immediately behind the plug 14 to serve as a cushion or back wall 21 for providing effective shock-absorption of the blow from the shuttle point against the plug 14, thereby maintaining 1 proper boxing of the shuttle while contributing to a long life of service for the loom picker. The beveled forward corner 16 on the plug 14 presents a blunt forward upper corner and thereby effectively serves to prevent bursting or splitting of the body 10 because of the tendency of the shuttle point to vertically lift the plug 14 upon impact.

In forming the loom picker, the insert plug 14. of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene may be extruded or machined in its particular shape, and the body 10 of polyurethane elastomer may be injection molded thereabout. The temperature of the insert plug 14 is held at or below ambient temperature as the polyurethane elastomer at a temperature of 300425 F. is injected thereabout. The polyurethane elastomer constituting the body 10 shrinks away from the insert plug 14 to produce the air space extending about the periphery of the insert plug 14, thereby forming the loom picker with the insert plug 14 floatingly mounted in the body 10. The degree of clearance between the insert plug 14 and the body 10 afforded by the air space can be controlled by regulating the initial temperature of the insert plug 14 at the time that the polyurethane elastomer is injected thereabout, the clearance increasing as the initial temperature of the insert plug 14 is lowered.

Thus, it will be seen that I have disclosed a new and improved loom picker in which a relatively rigid, wearresistant insert plug is floatingly mounted within a body of resilient elastomeric material in such a manner as to bring about superior performance of the loom picker over a long life of service by taking advantage of the high impact strength and wear-resistant qualities of the insert plug without sacrificing the requisite shock-absorption necessary in a loom picker.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A loom picker comprising (a) a body of resilient elastomeric material having a loop portion for receiving a picker stick,

(b) said body having a recess disposed in the forward end thereof and an internal cavity forwardly of said loop portion and communicating with said recess, and

(c) a plug of relatively rigid, wear-resistant material loosely seated in said cavity in floating non-adhered relation for movement in use relative to said body and having its forward surface partially exposed through said recess.

2. A loom picker comprising (a) a body made of polyurethane elastomer having a loop portion for receiving a picker stick,

(b) said body having a cavity disposed forwardly of said loop portion, and

(c) a plug of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene seated in said cavity in non-adhered relation for movement in use relative to said body and having its forward surface exposed to the impact from a shuttle point.

3. A loom picker comprising (a) a body of resilient elastomeric material having a loop portion for receiving a picker stick,

(b) said body having a recess disposed in the forward end thereof and an internal cavity forwardly of said loop portion and communicating with said recess,

(c) a plug of relatively rigid, wear-resistant material seated in said cavity in non-adhered relation to said body and having its forward surface partially exposed through said recess,

((1) said plug having a rear surface provided with a plurality of transversely extending serrations, and (e) the rearwardly disposed wall bounding said cavity having a plurality of transverse grooves therein complementary to the transverse serrations on the rear surface of said plug and in which said serrations are received for restraining relative movement of said plug in upward and downward directions with respect to said body.

4. A loom picker as defined in claim 3, wherein (f) said body is made of a polyurethane elastomer material, and

(g) said plug is made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

5. A loom picker comprising (a) a body of resilient elastomeric material having a loop portion for receiving a picker stick,

(b) said body having an outwardly diverging frustoconical recess disposed in the forward end thereof and an internal cavity forwardly of said loop portion and communicating with said recess,

(c) a plug of relatively rigid, wear-resistant material loosely seated in said cavity in floating non-adhered relation to said body and having its forward surface partially exposed through said recess,

(d) the forward surface of said plug being provided with an outwardly diverging conical recess merging with the frusto-conical recess in said body,

(e) said plug having a rear surface provided with a plurality of transversely extending serrations, and (f) the rearwardly disposed wall bounding said cavity having a plurality of transverse grooves therein complementary to the transverse serrations on the rear surface of said plug and in which said serrations are received for restraining relative movement of said plug in upward and downward directions with respect to said body.

6. A loom picker comprising (a) a body of resilient elastomeric material having a loop portion for receiving a picker stick,

(b) said body having an outwardly diverging frustoconical recess disposed in the forward end thereof and an internal cavity forwardly of said loop portion and communicating with said recess,

(c) a plug of relatively rigid, wear-resistant material seated in said cavity in floating non-adhered relation to said body and having its forward surface partially exposed through said recess,

(d) the forward surface of said plug being provided with an outwardly diverging conical recess merging with the frusto-conical recess in said body,

(e) said plug having a forwardly disposed upper beveled corner and closely conforming to the shape of the cavity to substantially fill the cavity,

(f) said plug having a rear surface provided with a plurality of transversely extending serrations,

(g) the rearwardly disposed wall bounding said cavity having a plurality of transverse grooves therein com plementary to the transverse serrations on the rear surface of said plug and in which said serrations are received for restraining relative movement of said plug in upward and downward directions with respect to said body, and

(h) said body being provided with a plurality of holes opening onto the exterior surface thereof and communicating with the cavity therein.

7. A loom picker as defined in claim 6, wherein (i) said body is made of a polyurethane elastomer material, and

(j) said plug is made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

8. A loom picker comprising:

(a) a body of resilient elastomeric material;

(b) said body having an outwardly diverging frustoconical recess in its forward end and an internal cavity communicating with said recess;

(c) a plug of relatively rigid, wear-resistant material seated in said cavity for movement in use relative to said body and having its forward surface partially exposed through said recess;

((1) the forward surface of said plug being provided with an outwardly diverging conical recess merging with the frusto-conical recess in said body, said plug having a forwardly disposed upper beveled corner and closely conforming to the shape of the cavity to substantially fill the cavity; and

(c) said body being provided with a plurality of holes opening onto the exterior surface thereof and communicating with the cavity therein.

9. A loom picker comprising:

(a) a body of resilient elastomeric material;

(b) said body having an internal cavity;

(c) a plug of relatively rigid, wear-resistant material seated in said cavity in non-adhered relation to said body for movement in use relative thereto; and

(d) said body being provided with a plurality of holes opening onto the exterior surface thereof the communicating with the cavity therein through which air is expelled as the plug moves to and fro within the cavity.

10. A loom picker comprising:

(a) a body of resilient elastomeric material having a forward end engageable with a shuttle and a loop portion for receiving a picker stick, said body having an internal cavity forwardly of said loop portion and defined by the side walls of the body portion, the front wall of the body portion and a back wall located between the cavity and the loop portion;

(b) a plug of relatively rigid, wear-resistant material disposed in said cavity in non-adhered relation to said body for movement in use relative thereto; and

(c) the back wall between the cavity and the loop tive shock absorption of the blow from the shuttle point against the plug.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,534,203 12/1950 Moe 139-159 2,549,394 4/1951 Shivell et a1. 139159 2,586,065 2/1952 1/1961 Downs 139-159 2/1962 Rivera 139159 FOREIGN PATENTS 10/ 1958 Great Britain. 11/ 196 1 Great Britain. 1 1/ 1961 Great Britain. 11/ 1961 Great Britain.

La Rocque 139159 10 DONALD W; PARKER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LOOM PICKER COMPRISING (A) A BODY OF RESILIENT ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL HAVING A LOOP PORTION FOR RECEIVING A PICKER STICK, (B) SAID BODY HAVING A RECESS DISPOSED IN THE FORWARD END THEREOF AND AN INTERNAL CAVITY FORWARDLY TO SAID LOOP PORTION AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID RECESS, AND (C) A PLUG OF RELATIVELY RIGID, WEAR-RESISTANT MATERIAL LOOSELY SEATED IN SAID CAVITY IN FLOATING NON-ADHERED RELATION FOR MOVEMENT IN USE RELATIVE TO SAID BODY AND HAVING ITS FORWARD SURFACE PARTIALLY EXPOSED THROUGH SAID RECESS. 